What kind of tracks are these?

[stuckmotor]

I do think that's part of it. I don't know how many skunks are in a litter, but it seemed like there were too many tracks to have each drag mark be a different baby. Also, the tracks didn't converge on the location of the newly dug hole.

Perhaps skunks just aren't that good at planning an efficient moving day. Another thought, the young skunks were big enough that I would expect them to be done nursing, and I could see them beginning to start foraging on their own. Perhaps this was more of a family dispersion night, rather than moving all the young to a new location.

That makes me feel better. I was concerned for any young skunks orphaned after you dispatched their mother.
I once saw young skunks following their mother. If memory serves they numbered three or less.

 

[drssg]

That makes me feel better. I was concerned for any young skunks orphaned after you dispatched their mother.
I once saw young skunks following their mother. If memory serves they numbered three or less.

I actually didn't get the mother. I caught two of the half-grown skunks in the box trap. I didn't feel too good morally about killing young animals, but I also really don't want skunks living inside my barn.

 

[drssg]

Are you implying she was kicking them out?

I don't know if I'm right, but that is what I suspected.

We had a hawk hanging around the farm earlier this year that was screeching incessantly. When I was a kid, my dad told me that the adolescents will do this when the mother stops bringing it food. Some offspring need a little extra push to start pulling their own weight. Growing up is hard!

 

[stuckmotor]

I actually didn't get the mother. I caught two of the half-grown skunks in the box trap. I didn't feel too good morally about killing young animals, but I also really don't want skunks living inside my barn.

Since you didn't kill the mother, I don't have to be concerned about the young. Thanks for clearing that up. I wouldn't want skunks in my barn either.
There are some with more white than black living in my pasture. The white is often stained by red clay. I don't know whether it's from scratching for grubs or burrowing.
Thanks again for the story. I love a mystery.
Stuck

 

[MossRoad]

I did catch and release on a skunk. Just hide behind a tarp so the skunk can't see you, and walk up slowly and drape the tarp over the trap. Pick it up, carry it away, and open it carefully. Didn't get sprayed.

Someone told me skunks have a lack of object permanence. If they can't see you, there is no threat. It was kinda neat. I'd peak around the tarp, and the skunk would lift it's tail. I'd hide behind the tarp and the skunk would put it's tail down and walk around in the trap. Repeated it several times before moving close.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_permanence

 

[drssg]

I did catch and release on a skunk. Just hide behind a tarp so the skunk can't see you, and walk up slowly and drape the tarp over the trap. Pick it up, carry it away, and open it carefully. Didn't get sprayed.

Someone told me skunks have a lack of object permanence. If they can't see you, there is no threat. It was kinda neat. I'd peak around the tarp, and the skunk would lift it's tail. I'd hide behind the tarp and the skunk would put it's tail down and walk around in the trap. Repeated it several times before moving close.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_permanence

My issue with catch and release is that I don't think my property is big enough that I could take it to a far corner and feel confident that it won't come right back. I also haven't heard from anyone else that wants my skunks, so I don't want to dump them on someone else's property.

 

[MossRoad]

My issue with catch and release is that I don't think my property is big enough that I could take it to a far corner and feel confident that it won't come right back. I also haven't heard from anyone else that wants my skunks, so I don't want to dump them on someone else's property.

Yeah, I understand that. I just took ours out of the garage and let it go in the back yard. It waddled off into the woods and didn't come back to the garage.